1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to recording apparatuses, and more particularly to small-sized recording apparatus which operates for a long term by using dry cells or the like as a power source.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Usually, prior-art recording apparatuses are operated by connecting them to commercial power supply lines. With the apparatuses, therefore, it is impossible to automatically record the temperature etc. for long in a region which is far from human habitation and in which such power supply is unavailable, for example, a mountainous district or the sea bottom. Although the recording becomes possible by employing a solar battery as the power source, the equipment requires great expense. In case of employing dry cells as the power source, the power of all of a measuring instrument, the recording apparatus, etc. depends thereon, so that the battery is intensely dissipated and that it cannot possibly endure use over a long period of time.
In order to solve these problems, the inventor has disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 763268 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 23914/1974) miniaturized recording apparatus of the dot type which can record, for example, the temperature, voltage, current etc. over a long term, for example, continuously for more than one year by employing a single U-1 dry cell as its power source and using a roll of recording paper. This apparatus adopts a small-sized clock which is constructed of a coiled spring adapted to be intermittently driven by the single U-1 dry battery. The load of clock gears consists only of a wheel for feeding the recording paper. A driving force for a cam employed in a dotting device is taken directly from a driving gear. Moreover, the turning effort of the cam assists in the drive of the feed wheel for the recording paper.
With such mechanism, it has been possible to carry out the recording paper feed and recording operation of the recorder in short times and to achieve a saving of the power consumption as well as the recovery of the battery. The proposed expedient, however, has not taken the actuation of a measuring instrument into consideration and has not been fully satisfactory in points of the recording precision and the handling of the recording paper.